Posts Tagged ‘paul graham’
Paul Graham: Don’t Die, You Get Rich
on Sunday, January 24, 2016Paul Graham Money Quotation saying if a startup can avoid collapse after getting funding, it usually succeeds in growing wealthy. Paul Graham said:
“If you can just avoid dying, you get rich. That sounds like a joke, but it’s actually a pretty good description of what happens in a typical startup” — Paul Graham
In this quote, Paul Graham is suggesting that the path to getting rich through starting a company is simply about surviving long enough for the business to succeed and become profitable. He acknowledges it may sound like a joke to say that avoiding death leads to wealth, but it captures the reality that most startups face significant challenges to stay in business during the early years.
If founders can just keep their startup operating and avoid having it fail or shut down, even if it is a struggle financially, they position themselves to eventually “get rich” if the business endures and thrives over the long run.
The quote emphasizes how high-risk and difficult starting a company can be initially, but that persevering through the challenges to avoid failure is often enough to attain great financial success if the startup ultimately prospers.
Paul Graham: Half Startups Get Rich
on Saturday, January 23, 2016Paul Graham Money Quotation saying half of funded startups get rich and remainder get zero. Paul Graham said:
“Our definition of success is that the founders get rich. If half the startups we fund succeed, then half of you are going to get rich and the other half are going to get nothing” — Paul Graham
This quote from Paul Graham suggests that success for startup companies funded by his organization is defined as the founders becoming wealthy. He indicates that about half of the startups they invest in are expected to succeed and make a large profit, resulting in the founders of those companies becoming rich.
However, the other half of startups are likely to fail and not make any money, meaning the founders would receive no financial return on their work and investment of time into those companies.
So Graham is setting the expectation that there is a high risk involved, but for about half of founders there is also a chance of a very high reward if their startup business succeeds and makes them rich through its profits.
Paul Graham: Rich Driven, Not Lazy
on Wednesday, January 20, 2016Paul Graham Money Quotation saying that it requires drive to become wealthy, so character flaws of rich don’t include laziness. Paul Graham said:
“Most people who get rich tend to be fairly driven. Whatever their other flaws, laziness is usually not one of them” — Paul Graham
In this quote, Paul Graham is suggesting that most people who accumulate great wealth tend to be highly motivated and hard-working individuals.
While successful people may have other weaknesses or flaws in their character, a lack of drive or a tendency towards laziness is usually not one of them. Graham implies that it takes a significant amount of ambition and industriousness to get “rich” through business or career endeavors.
Those who are wealthy have generally exhibited strong work ethic and determination to achieve financial success, even if they may struggle in other areas. So the quote emphasizes how an enterprising and motivated spirit is often a key ingredient for attaining significant riches.